Almeida: “Before opting for the Games, we must have social, political and institutional consensus”

MADRID, 19 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, has assured that he will do “everything” that is in his “hand” so that the city can host an Olympic Games, be it those of 2036 or others, although he has indicated that before presenting any The candidacy will ensure that there is “social, political and institutional consensus”, especially after “three failed candidacies” that left “a bad taste in the mouth” of the people of Madrid.

“Madrid has to host the Olympic Games. Before knowing if we are really prepared or not, we must have social, political and institutional consensus to row in the same direction. Madrid deserves to host the Olympic Games. We want to make that decision and promoting grassroots sports. We are laying the foundations so that when we have to make the decision, we do so with all the guarantees, “he explained in an interview on the program El Larguero de la Cadena Ser.

In this sense, he acknowledged that they are “in the process of seeing what the real conditions are and when is the best time.” “We are still in the year 2021, we are in a preliminary moment, going little by little and seeing what we have to raise. Then we must see if there is indeed that political, social and institutional consensus and the agreement with the COE. We are not going to take a single step without the COE. It is essential to go hand in hand with the COE and Alejandro Blanco, who has shown the best of dispositions, “he said.

“I will do everything in my power, whether mayor or not. There is a debt with the city of Madrid, but we must also follow the right path and be prudent. We come from a situation with three failed candidacies, which left a bad taste from the mouths of the people of Madrid, and thank goodness that those of 2020 did not give them to us … When we make the decision it is because we will know that this candidacy has a very high probability of succeeding, “he continued.

The Madrid councilor also thanked the support that the Minister of Culture and Sports, Miquel Iceta, transferred this Monday to a possible candidacy for the capital of Spain. “I appreciate the statements of Minister Iceta. This shows that in Spain, apart from political debates, when there are large projects, governments cooperate loyally. For the minister to say that if Madrid presents the candidacy it is because he believes that we are sufficiently prepared is a message of tranquility that if we took all the institutions we would collaborate, “he said.

On the other hand, he downplayed the intersection of statements with the deputy mayor of Madrid, Begoña Villacís, who a few days ago stated emphatically that the city would fight yes or yes for the 2036 Games. “We can all be deluded,” he said. “We are the only major capital in the world that has not organized an Olympic Games,” he added. “Nothing happens because there are differences in a government, the important thing is that they can be fixed,” he concluded.